Customer Reviews

We Shall Not Be Shaken [+digital booklet]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Matt Redman may be the premier songwriter in Christian music over the past decade as the writer of worship classics "The Heart of Worship", "Better Is One Day", "Blessed Be Your Name" and "You Never Let Go". He is also part of the Passion conferences and most recently his hit song "Shine" was part of the Passion: God Of This City album. One of my favorite stories about Matt Redman, a native of England, is that in response to his church having too much focus on music he suggested they take a break from singing which led to his writing "The Heart of Worship". The lyrics "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, it's all about You" sums up Matt's ministry and focus on vertical worship. His sincere singing and songwriting style and biblical inspired lyrics have made me a huge fan of Matt Redman.

"We Shall Not Be Shaken" sticks to the style that fans have come to admire and respect about Matt, starting off with "Through It All", which includes an upbeat melody and a soaring anthem in the chorus, declaring: "Through it all You are strong. As we walk through the shadows still You shine on." The goal of spiritual confidence points to the other key focus on We Shall Not Be Shaken, the centrality of Jesus and the cross. First single "This Is How We Know," co-written with Redman's wife, Beth, seamlessly blends the message of John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16. This is how we know what love is; just one look at Your cross... For You so loved the world that You gave Your only Son. Love amazing, so divine, we will love You in return.

Prior to the shaping of the album there was one extremely notable shakeup: in July of 2008, Matt and Beth Redman and their three young children at the time, moved from England to the United States, and in November they welcomed their fourth child. They had never envisioned themselves calling America "home," but clearly God had another idea in mind. They recorded We Shall Not Be Shaken in Nashville, TN and now reside in Atlanta. He and his wife will help plant the Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA alongside Passion Conferences founder Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin and Christy Nockels.

We Shall Not Be Shaken is intentionally Psalm-like, using simple poetic lyrics to express unbreakable truth in an age of utter brokenness. "This album praises God's steadiness," says Redman. "We're being reminded how shakable earthly things are--job losses, home foreclosures. Among Matt's favorite tracks on the new album is "Remembrance (Communion Song)", which fulfills his long-held desire to write specifically for the ceremonial Lord's Supper.

Matt co-wrote "The More We See" with Chris Tomlin and the album closes with an excellent soft song of praise and worship "My Hope", combining words from 1834's "On Christ the Solid Rock" with Redman's lyrics: Though every kingdom be shaken, still I will rest in You. I've been collecting Matt Redman since 1999's "The Heart Of Worship" and he is my favorite overall worship leader in all of Christian music.

"Through It All", "This Is How We Know", "We Shall Not Be Shaken", "Remembrance" and "My Hope" are my favorite songs on the album. If you like Delirious?, Jeremy Riddle, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and Lincoln Brewster, then you must get "We Shall Not Be Shaken", which is one of my top albums of 2009 and the best overall album by Matt Redman in my opinion.

I first met Matt Redman in 1997 when I was over in England for a worship conference. In a few minutes of conversation a few things stood out to me. He was a young man passionate about impacting his generation with worship songs that communicated biblical truth about God and not simply emotional responses. He was theologically aware and gospel-focused. He was articulate. And he was humble.

After listening to his latest album, We Shall Not Be Shaken, I found myself thanking God once again for Matt's faithfulness to serve the church with his songwriting gift.

We Shall Not Be Shaken contains 12 songs, many expressing confident trust in a sovereign, wise, and loving God. The melodies are creative but singable, the harmonies are fresh, and Matt's voice is as solid as ever. Here's my take on the individual songs.

1. This is How We Know reflects on the fact that we know God's love through the cross, and then translates that thought into loving those around us. There's an awareness as well that we love God because He loved us first.

2. We Shall Not Be Shaken is a rocker that proclaims with unabashed courage, "Nations could be quaking, economies failing; When fear is found all around You're the solid ground." The chorus melody is contagious and filled with heart-strengthening truth: "Our God, You are all that You say You are; You never change, You never fail, You never fade."

3. Through it All is an anthemic meditation on God's immutability. "Through it all, You are faithful; Through it all, You are strong; As we walk through the shadows, Still You shine on."

4. You Alone Can Rescue reminds us of our inability to save ourselves, a much needed emphasis in our self-promoting, self-sufficient culture.

5. The Glory of Our King jubilantly celebrates the privilege of being worshipers of God. "The rocks are going to cry out if we don't; Now's the time to raise a song; Hear creation shout loud; We will join our voices to that sound; Stand up, stand up -- the time has come." But rather than remain focused on our priase, the lyrics remind us of the joy we have to "take Heaven to a broken world." This is another song with a musical hook that's hard to forget.

6. How Great Is Your Faithfulness is another anthem extolling God's unchanging character, only this time in a vibrant 6/8. Like other songs Matt has penned, the lyrics encourage us with the truth that "from generation to generation You never fail us, O God."

7. Remembrance is a beautiful communion song that reminds us there are "none too lost to be saved; None too broken or ashamed; All are welcome in this place." I wondered about one line that seems at face value to be referring to transubstantiation ("now the simple made divine"). When I read in the liner notes that the words were taken from the Roman Missal, I realized it was more than an implication. That being said, a case could be made that the song is talking about acknowledging God's divine activity in the simple act of taking the bread and cup together. I'd want to make sure people knew what was meant by that line.

8. The More We See helps us meditate on the unending circle of worship -- the more we see of God, the more we want to sing about His glory in creation and in the mercy of the cross. Not one of the strongest songs for me, but still solid.

9. For Your Glory sounds a lot like a remake of Matt's song, Dancing Generation. Drawing from Ps. 24:7-10, we're invited to dance and shout for God's glory. But Matt includes two familiar themes -- the cross and evangelism --that educate us as to why we're so excited, thereby rescuing the song from mere emotionalism.

10. Gloria is a song I could hear being belted out by a massive crowd that's reveling in God's glory in creation (vs. 1) and the cross (vs. 2). Another effective anthem.

11. All That Really Matters is a mid-tempo song of commitment, expressing a desire to live for the One who is "the Way, the Life, the Truth." The chorus reminds us that "All that really matters, all that really counts is found in You."

12. The album closes with My Hope, a song that adds a chorus to two verses borrowed from Edward Mote's On Christ the Solid Rock. It's a hauntingly beautiful rewrite, perhaps better suited for a soloist than a congregation. Very moving.

After a quick listen, one might easily dismiss this album as just one more of the hundreds of modern worship offerings released each year. Don't do it. While Matt's lyrics may not always contain the breadth, precision, and theological depth of some modern writers (think the Getty's and Stuart Townend), his songs are biblically faithful, cross-centered, poetically fresh, and God-glorifying. In addition, his melodies and harmonic progressions are consistently above standard fare.

Matt Redman needs no introduction. He's been a mainstay in the worship music scene for so long, fans of his will be lining up for We Will Not Be Shaken to hear the latest installment of his congregation-ready, God-exalting songs. At this point, most people have made up their mind about his music. You either enjoy this style of worship or you don't. Some adore the modern hymns Redman produces; some find it shallow and musically uninteresting. Redman is unlikely to win over very many in the second category with this album, but he delivers what we expect: a Christ-centered album, full of praise to God, and U2-flavored music that can be sung corporately and doesn't distract from the biblically-based lyrics.

The collection kicks off with "This Is How We Know," a solid song on which Redman sings, "This is how we know what love is, just one look at your cross." Vintage Redman. The more up-tempo title track follows, and the theme of faith in God's character is explored against the backdrop of uncertainty that exists in the world today. Redman sings, "When everything's tumbling down, You're the solid ground. Nation's could be quaking. Economy's failing. When fear is found all around, You're the solid ground."

Another standout is the song, "Remembrance," which was written specifically for the Lord's Supper. This song will no doubt be used by churches everywhere. The song creates the perfect mood of contemplation on the sacrament with lyrics such as, "By Your mercy we come to Your table. By Your grace, You are making us faithful. Lord, we remember You." The song crescendos with Redman begging, "Lord Jesus, come in glory!" This is a fantastic song, and it breaks the mold of most worship songs. The album closes with the reflective "My Hope," combining some lyrics from "On Christ the Solid Rock" with new ones. Again, the theme is echoed that despite our conditions or circumstances, Christ is the foundation upon which believers can depend. That never changes.

The rest of the album is pretty typical worship, and there aren't any songs at the level of "Better Is One Day" or "Blessed Be Your Name" here. Some will pick at the simplicity of the lyrics on some songs, and I certainly wish he would expand things musically occasionally, but Redman is clearly writing with the congregational setting of the Church in mind. His love for the church is evident in this, and he recently moved his family to the U.S. from England to help plant a church with Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin in Atlanta. He's not writing for critical acclaim. He's writing for Christ's bride.

These are, for the most part, songs that are easy to learn and each song focuses on one aspect of God's character. Redman is adept at maintaining that balance, using the music to serve the lyrics, while allowing enough room in the songs for contemplation about the themes being sung. Repetition allows people to sing without having to focus too hard on where the melody is going or the next lyrics. Some may disagree with this philosophy of worship, but Redman does it better than most. As I said, he's not going to win over those in the opposing camp in the "worship war," but his fans will likely not be disappointed with this effort.

Matt Redman's latest offering is a blast of upbeat, positive songs that stand in stark opposition to the increasing negativity and cynicism in the world today. He has decided to collaborate with several different artists in these songs and the results are pretty much satisfactory. I hate to be critical, especially as a huge fan of Redman, but Matt's strongest songs seem to be more contemplative, and "We Shall Not Be Shaken" only sees a few of those moments (one being the wonderful Matt Maher collaboration, "Remembrance"). Not to say that the album is weak, it just doesn't play to Redman's strong suit. (Note: this may have something to do with the production which is more direct and punchy and less delay and reverb drenched this time around.) That being said, these songs do explode with life. The title track is one of the most upbeat, declarative songs in his reportoire. "We Shall Not Be Shaken" sees Redman going for the jugular with directness and a cohesive sense of purpose only hinted at in previous offerings. The whole record praises God for His unchanging, unshakeable nature in the midst of a shaky, ever changing world, and that alone should be reason to give this a listen.

In short, absolutely not. A lot of great songs here, but I agree with what one reviewer said that there are more than a few songs that are not conducive to a corporate worship environment, which is rare for Redman songs.... They're still good songs, but just not as "sing-a-long-y" as usual. Get the album and I assure you it is money well spent.

Matt Redman will forever have the legacy of writing some of the best worship songs in the past two decades or so. His songs are sung throughout the globe. Although for me personally his previous album, "Beautiful News," was missing something, and I actually ended up not buying it, I couldn't pass on at least giving Matt Redman a try when I saw this new album. Being a bit more cautious I just listened to some of the sample songs taht were available and I thought they were at least decent. So I bought this album and wow.....wat an amazing album. I am already humming to myself some of his songs. His opening song, "This is How We Know" is a powerful song based on John 3:16 and the book of 1John, about God loving us first. The track, "You Alone can Save Us," is another great one that just simply leads you to worship the Lord. One of the more interesting song is "Rememberance (Communion Song)." Apparently the lyrics are a translation of an old Christian document regarding Communion and it is beautiful. Matt Redman's forte is his lyrics. They are very powerful and have a knack for just leading God's people into worship. However, this album delivers musically as well. They are creative in many parts, but also simple enough for the songs to be sung at the church. Although one of the main criticisms today for worship songs is that they are too alike or not musically creative enough, I believe writing worship music is never an easy task. Not only do the songwriters have to pay attention to writing poignant and reverent lyrics for worship, they also have to consider producing musically sound progressions that are simple enough for the masses to sing. I dont agree with the fact that Christian Music Artists are not talented enough to produce more creative music, but that they at times have to limit their abilities for the sake of the congregation. I believe Matt Redman has blended in these different characteristics extremely well in this album, and truly delivers a powerful album filled with brand new worship songs for the church. Thank you Matt!

Matt Redman makes music at a level few others can reach, it puts you a place of peaceful focus. There's a lot of great worship music out there, I just find this among the most beautiful and capivating. So, if you want powerful, well-written worship music, this would be an ideal record to get.

Summary

My recommendation is that worship leaders and worshipers alike should buy this album. My three favorite songs, which I hope to use at my church, are "You Alone Can Rescue," "How Great is Your Faithfulness," and "Remembrance."

Overall Comments

I must say I've been following Redman for a long time--since the late 90s. His early albums were great. In the 2000s, Where Angels Fear to Tread was a powerful album for me, mostly because, well before it became famous, "Blessed Be Your Name" became a heart-song of mine as God took my wife and me through the valley of the shadow of death. After Angels came Beautiful News, and I must admit that I was disappointed in it. My expectations were probably too high, but too many songs seemed either unsingable, too bland, or attempting too much chordally/musically. We Shall Not Be Shaken is, in my mind, a few large leaps back up "great worship album" hill.

As I've said about every album Redman has put out, We Shall Not Be Shaken shows Redman to be a worship leader who actually reads His Bible. His songs, while existential, are filled with Bible quotes, Scriptural allusion, and theological depth. In this respect, he seems to be getting better with every subsequent album.

The production on this album is great...better than previous collections. There is a nice sonic variety within the pop/rock genre. Electric guitars aren't monochromatic. Some songs are piano-driven rather than guitar-driven. There are U2 and Coldplay overtones here and there, and I'm hearing a more noticeable use of sampling/programming/looping than what has been on previous albums. There are more mid- and up-tempo songs (which, personally, I find harder to write [with any substance] than slower songs). Redman's voice has never been a flashy one. In many ways, I view him as the Rich Mullins of modern worship, in the sense that his recordings are admired not because he's a virtuoso vocalist but because he writes incredible texts. And there's something refreshing about a "straight up" vocalist every once in a while. You can tell Redman is a worship leader rather than a performer. (I like Brenton Brown's recordings for a lot of those same reasons.)

Gospel-Centered, and God-Centered

I praise Redman and this album chiefly for its gospel-centeredness. Too many worship songs ignore the gospel, probably because the whole concept of gospel-as-entrance-ticket (but not as our ongoing source of sustenance and sanctification) is still pretty prevalent in evangelicalism. So, that Redman continually points to the life and work of Christ, and that he roots our worship in God's finished work in Jesus, are necessary correctives/emphases for mainstream evangelical worship. The album is a gospel-centered album...

Read the rest of this review at:

[...]

I wake up to this album every day. It is really good. I liked it from the first listen. Matt Redman really has a heart for God and it shows in every song. If you love to worship God you will not regret buying this album.

Shredding Intimacy -- A. seeming inconsistent pairing of words but an apt description of Matt Redman's "We Will Not Be Shaken" release. I love the way Matt focuses on lifting up and glorifying God. For worship leaders, this album has seven songs that are suitable for corporate worship. Unique messages such as, "you alone can rescue", "all that really matters", and "this is how we know" are coupled with congregation -accessible solid sing-along choruses, and clean rock backing tracks.

Matt has never failed to bless me and lead me to the foot of the cross. This album is a must for worship leaders in a guitar -driven contemporary setting.